| Introduction
Bond, James Bond that is, is back but unfortunately,
for the first and last time on the GameBoy Color, although
there'll definitely be a GBA outing some time in the
future. This is a title that was first publicised in
the ECTS of 2000 and, after may delays, was quietly
released last month. The Bond franchise is indeed popular,
with a new PS2 title to be released shortly, and Goldeneye
still widely regarded as one of the best titles on the
N64. This GBC version is based on the movie that was
released some years ago. For some movie licenses, such
a delay in the release of a tie-in game could prove
fatal. As such, it will be interesting to see if this
game is good enough to stand on it's own long after
the movie has ended its run.
GamePlay
If you've seen the movie or indeed any Bond title
then you'll be right at home with the type of game you're
in for. Each mission starts off with a briefing from
'M' and if you're going to get even close to completing
it then you really need to pay attention. Missions can
consist of up to five separate objectives; some of these
will be puzzle based whilst others may simply consist
of exiting a building. The first level has you collecting
money, key cards and escaping while dealing with the
numerous guards on patrol. As you move on through the
game there are a whole host of weapons and gadgets you
need to use and knowing how to use them is just as important.
Not all levels consist of you running around shooting
everything that moves, some require a high level of
stealth. In mission 4, for example, you have to escape
Electra's home whilst not being seen by anyone. This
means no guns and no killing guards. Add the fact that
doors are locked and laser beams and cameras are mounted
everywhere and you have yourself a really challenging
encounter.
If you ever do find yourself a little lost there's
a handy progress screen that can be brought up with
a simple press of the 'select' button. Everything you
need to know is here, including your health (displayed
as a percentage), objectives completed, enemies defeated
and a very useful time elapsed. I mention this because
the first time I played I was on some missions for over
an hour when I really believed it had been around 15
minutes. You can also review your briefing here which,
when you have been wandering around your current area
for some time, will usually give you the hint you require.
The game screen is simplicity itself with only your
'health bar', 'current weapon' and 'mission objectives
completed' (depicted as yellow balls) at the base of
the screen. At the end of each level completed you are
given a code. The password system has wisely been kept
to four secret agent type graphics which is simple to
record and enter.
Control
A little confusing at first but this is only because
of the amount of information you're given and the ability
to change weapons and gadgets. Bond is, however, very
responsive and the sprite detection is also superb which
is really noticeable when edging up to those laser beams
which appear to be dotted throughout most buildings.
Graphics
The in-game graphics are excellent considering the
GBC's limited palette. Everything's very clear and reminds
me of last year's Perfect Dark both in look and feel.
This is really important in a game of this type as pick-ups
need to be distinguishable from their surroundings.
The animation is also excellent with Bond, the enemies
and the various special effects moving smoothly and
realistically. The cut-scenes, however, is the big let
down in the overall presentation. Instead of those rather
bland digitised images, the developers at 2n Productions
should have gone for hi-color stills. This is only a
minor complaint and in no way alters the enjoyment of
the game but does affect the overall rating of the game
graphics.
Sound & Music
The music is a little annoying really and the GameBoy's
sound chip isn't quite up to the Bond theme, certainly
not in any recognizable form. The sound effects, on
the other hand, are a lot better and the alarms that
are set off when breaking a laser beam is great. So
take our advice and play the game with the music off
and sound effects on.
Final Comments
For fans of Bond or action adventures this game is
certainly worth considering. The presentation is a little
shabby in places and the learning curve is steep, but
once the action starts, you'll soon discover that none
of these shortcomings really matter. On the plus side,
you do get a lot of game for your money as the variety
of missions and originality of some of the puzzles is
well above average. This is definitely another 'try
before you buy' game but with the quantity of more mature
GBC titles now fewer than ever, you'd be hard pushed
to find many more titles like this after Christmas.
|
Hardware
Reviews 
Game
Title
